Facts Concerning Indoor Moulds And Their Health Effects

Written by Jackson Kungu


We have heard or seen on advertisements phrases like toxic mould or black mould! These phrases create fear, panic and confusion. People have spent thousands of dollars in mould remediation or disposed off household items including clothes because of mould contamination. Are these decisions always based on facts or fear? It is a difficult question to answer. The objective of this article is to provide some basic facts about mould andrepparttar associated health effects to help those concerned with mould make cost-effective decisions.

Three Things You Should Know About Mould.

* Mould growth is a fact of life for almost all industrial and indoor environments. However, mould growth can be controlled by providing adequate ventilation and maintaining indoor humidity levels between 30-60%. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mould growth will often occur, particularly ifrepparttar 113907 moisture problem remains unnoticed or un-addressed for more than 48 hours. The key to mould control is timely maintenance and prompt repairs. * Not all moulds are harmful but to be safe it is better to treat all moulds as potentially harmful. The colour ofrepparttar 113908 mould does not determine whether it is harmful or not. Therefore black mould is not necessarily bad mould. Mould related health effects depend on:

* types of mould present, * amount of mould one is exposed to and for how long, * individual health status or sensitivity. Children, elderly and sick people are more vulnerable to mould.

* It is difficult to eliminate all mould spores inrepparttar 113909 indoor environment. However,repparttar 113910 levels can be minimised by controlling growth. Monitor mould growth by looking for water stains or discoloration onrepparttar 113911 ceiling, walls, baseboards, floors, and window sills.

Why Be Concerned About Indoor Mould and Bacteria Growth?

*Health Risk. Mould pose health risks. As they grow indoors, moulds produce spores and/or chemical compounds intorepparttar 113912 air. The health effects associated with these spores and chemicals may include runny nose, eye irritation, cough, congestion, aggravation of asthma and respiratory problems, headache, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, skin rash and other allergic reactions. Individuals with weak immune systems may also get infected by certain moulds as a result of exposure.

* Legal Issues. Those responsible for building maintenance or health and safety of building occupants, contractors and other professionals involved inrepparttar 113913 building operations are at risk of being sued if occupants get sick from mould growth.

* Material Damage and Impairment of Processes. Mould if allowed to grow, can impairrepparttar 113914 functioning of many processes from air conditioning units to electrical circuits. Surfaces of materials on which mould is growing get stained or discoloured and may disintegrate over time. Wood-rotting moulds are capable of weakening wooden structures.

Menopause and Anxiety

Written by Cathy Taylor


The mid-life phenomenon known as menopause andrepparttar stresses of anxiety go hand in hand. Panic attacks, rushes of energy, burning inrepparttar 113906 chest, unusual vibrations throughoutrepparttar 113907 body, and warm sensations are some ofrepparttar 113908 physical effects you may feel under this condition. When menopause hits, there is a greater chance women will go through anxiety and depression. Christian Northrop talks about this phenomenon in her book, Wisdom of Menopause, where if a woman has repressed something in her life, she won’t be able to get past menopause employingrepparttar 113909 same tactics. For example, unexpressed anger will find its way out and sometimes in unusual or uncomfortable ways.

In what is often referred to as a ¨midlife crisis,¨ this time of life forces women to re-evaluate themselves andrepparttar 113910 role(s) they play as they are getting older. And, often times we are not comfortable with what we find. A little voice inrepparttar 113911 back of our head is saying, “If you don’t make changes now … you never will!” Our hormonal imbalances (due to decreased estrogen levels) can contribute to feelings of depression or make us feel plain ‘indifference.’ Even if menopause isn’t actually causing these conditions, it can heighten underlying anxiety and bring it torepparttar 113912 surface.

Anxiety is an individual’s prolonged feeling of dread and worry with no particular reason behind it. It’s uncomfortable and causes stress particularly onrepparttar 113913 body. It can be triggered by problems in everyday life like payingrepparttar 113914 bills and work. Although worrying about these things for a normal person has its ceiling of severity, menopausal women suffering from anxiety tend to think about their problems excessively.

When anxiety finally hits its highest peak, it is often called a panic attack. Panic attacks are debilitating episodes of fright and fear that include chest pains, fear of death, and shaking. In what is called being ¨psychosocially¨ depressed, women have negative beliefs and attitudes in regards to getting older, assuming unwanted roles such as caretaker, and responding negatively to impatient husbands who might demand sex.

Being depressed duringrepparttar 113915 duration of this condition has a lot to do with their overall psychological well-being prior to menopause. Women who have continuous anxiety and depression beforehand are more likely to suffer worse cases of anxiety during this latter phase of life. If life-long imbalances have not been healed, menopause may exacerbaterepparttar 113916 situation. We might feel unable to perform ¨female duties¨, contributing to feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Research has found that consistent regular physical activity (i.e. exercise) before menopause has been scientifically proven to lessenrepparttar 113917 possibility of anxiety symptoms during this transition. It’s also helpful to avoid drinking caffeine-loaded liquids, sleep deprivation, and stimulant use.

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